Anonymous wrote:No, my dogs are not my children, they're my babies!

My children are fairly independent teens who have a good sense of self and who will be going away to college and beyond.

My babies will stay dependent on us and will always require a certain level of care.

Why can’t they just be your beloved pets? But, fwiw, “babies” isn’t as weird as “children”. There are “baby animals”; there are no “animal children”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the term “fur baby” bother you as well? I don’t typically use either phrase to describe my sweet, wonderful lab who was my late husband’s service dog, but she is part of the family and treated very well. I do not treat her the same as a person, though.

No, you really don’t treat her like a person, PP. You don’t dress her in clothes or buy her books to read; you don’t let her eat at the table or put her in diapers because she can’t use the toilet.

Dogs aren’t people. Dogs are actually better than people. To call a dog a person diminishes them.

Did you read the post you were responding to, PP? It said that they DO NOT great their dog like a person. Maybe read a little more carefully before you go off—you really have egg on your face here.

I am child-free and a dog owner. I love my dog but she is not my child. I think it’s weird when pet owners call themselves parents or their pets children.

No, my dogs are not my children, they're my babies!

My children are fairly independent teens who have a good sense of self and who will be going away to college and beyond.

My babies will stay dependent on us and will always require a certain level of care.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people do. I find them odd.

Dogs do require a lot more time, money and attention than cats ime. They can be like having a baby/toddler in some ways

But there is no way I would refer to our dog or cat as children. They just aren’t. Humans and animals are very different. I love and enjoy our animals, but it is just not on the same level

The only real difference between humans and animals is our ability and affinity for arguing about stuff like this. Dogs and pigs are as smart as two year olds so really the dogs as children people aren't really far off.

Yes, it is far off. Only humans can be children. My dog is smarter than a lot of my relatives but she can never be my child as she isn’t human.

So you think humans are superior to dogs. Why? What is your rationale for that?

People who treat their dogs like children (dressing them up, taking them into stores) tend to have extremely miserable dogs. Dogs don't want to be treated like babies. They're dogs.

I think of our pets as part of our family, but just don’t put them on the same level as the humans in our household.

We had an unfortunate situation with our dog last year. The test alone to find out what was going on was $5k. They then said we could pay $10k for an operation that may or may not work. My husband considered it for a hot minute, but I said no way. The cost and time for our dog to be possibly be an invalid needing round the clock care? Nope.

With a human? No question whatsoever in going forward.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people do. I find them odd.

Dogs do require a lot more time, money and attention than cats ime. They can be like having a baby/toddler in some ways

But there is no way I would refer to our dog or cat as children. They just aren’t. Humans and animals are very different. I love and enjoy our animals, but it is just not on the same level

The only real difference between humans and animals is our ability and affinity for arguing about stuff like this. Dogs and pigs are as smart as two year olds so really the dogs as children people aren't really far off.

And, of course, the difference in the fact that dogs are not human.

Anonymous wrote:Children, by definition, are human. No other way to look at it. A dog can be your best friend, your dependent, your love… but they can never be your children.

And yes, the visual of a four-legged child is, indeed, “creepy”.

+1. Four-legged children is a bad visual.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people do. I find them odd.

Dogs do require a lot more time, money and attention than cats ime. They can be like having a baby/toddler in some ways

But there is no way I would refer to our dog or cat as children. They just aren’t. Humans and animals are very different. I love and enjoy our animals, but it is just not on the same level

The only real difference between humans and animals is our ability and affinity for arguing about stuff like this. Dogs and pigs are as smart as two year olds so really the dogs as children people aren't really far off.

Yes, it is far off. Only humans can be children. My dog is smarter than a lot of my relatives but she can never be my child as she isn’t human.

Anonymous wrote:Some people do. I find them odd.

Dogs do require a lot more time, money and attention than cats ime. They can be like having a baby/toddler in some ways

But there is no way I would refer to our dog or cat as children. They just aren’t. Humans and animals are very different. I love and enjoy our animals, but it is just not on the same level

The only real difference between humans and animals is our ability and affinity for arguing about stuff like this. Dogs and pigs are as smart as two year olds so really the dogs as children people aren't really far off.

Children, by definition, are human. No other way to look at it. A dog can be your best friend, your dependent, your love… but they can never be your children.

And yes, the visual of a four-legged child is, indeed, “creepy”.

A warning from a veterinarian to those folks who feel this way. I totally get it- I love my pets very much. But bear in mind if you think of a dog or a cat as a child- you will outlive your child. You will probably have to pick the day that they pass away. I've seen many lovely, caring people absolutely wrecked with grief over their pets. Just try to keep that in mind. 💔

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who ever said that to you is weird as hell. And I’m a dog owner and love dogs.

Really? My Lab is my baby and my son. And such a good boy!

People think you’re creepy, PP. And so does your dog.

*shrug* too bad for you guys, then. I think people who pop out babies just to continue their family dysfunction and then project their own childhoods onto those kids are the definition of creepy, but that's your business.

You’re still creepy, dear.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who ever said that to you is weird as hell. And I’m a dog owner and love dogs.

I'm sure they're not - gosh all they probably meant was their dogs are loved and like their children (because perhaps they don't have any). You are reading too much into it.

“Four-legged children” is weird!! Come on!